Appreciate – Don’t Appropriate.

Here on our syllabus we provide valuable information specifically on the cultural appropriation of Asian, Black, Hawaiian, Indian, and Mexican cultures. Cultural appropriation refers to the taking of one’s cultural practices, styles, ect., by cultural outsiders or non members without understanding the cultural context behind them. Cultural appropriation can so often be morally problematic where there is misrepresentation, misuse and theft of styles from groups of people that have been historically socially marginalized. As a result, those who take, borrow, or exploit those aspects of culture benefit from them in terms of capital, power, prestige and popularity, all at expense of the very group which these aspects were appropriated. We hope with these resources we can inform readers how important it is to know the difference between appropriation and appreciation. We welcome you to travel and explore each culture.